There was extended applause for members of the Watertown Police Department in Washington D.C., where first responders testified before the House committee on Homeland Security.

"Our goal was to be the best police department in the state. I'm not sure if we reached that, but I can tell you one thing: For eight and a half minutes, we were the best damn police department in the world," Watertown Police Chief Ed Deveau said.

The committee thanked Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis for his leadership. He said a training called Operation Urban Shield prepared Boston well for the marathon bombings.

"We took over several different venues in the city and played out what would happen if there were multiple attacks on the city. That was the first time we engaged the medical people," Davis said.

Congressman Peter King of New York asked if authorities waited too long to notify NYPD that the alleged bombers planned to go to Manhattan next.

"We may be holding the information too closely in interest of prosecution or having justice being only thing we think about, because in addition to justice there's the issue of public safety," Davis said.

Photo timeline: Boston Marathon bombing

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This photo taken before the bombings shows suspect Dzhokhan Tsarnaev in the background with what may be the bomb in a backpack in the lower part of the frame near the railing.

ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED UPON TO ENSURE THERE IS NO NEXT TIME. AMY COVENO IS HERE NOW WITH MORE. LIKE THE TWO HOUR HEARING WAS LESS INTERROGATION AND MORE ADMIRATION. THE CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS OF THE YEAR TO COMPLETE AND HAS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE FORMER BOSTON POLICE -- BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONERS SAY ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE FBI. THAT SEEMINGLY QUIET OVERNIGHT SHIFT TURNED INTO A WAR ZONE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICA, PEOPLE WERE ATTACKED WITH GUNS AND BOMBS IN THE BACK OF MY COMMUNITY. OFFICER JOE REYNOLDS WAS THE FIRST TO CONFRONT THE TWO BROTHERS AND HAD NO IDEA WHO HE WAS UP AGAINST. WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED IN WATERTOWN, WE DID NOT KNOW IT WAS RELATED TO THE BOSTON BOMBINGS. HE EMPHASIZE THE MAIN CRITICISM TO COME OUT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REPORT -- LACK OF INFORMATION SHARING. WHEN I BEGAN MY COMMENTS TODAY, I MENTIONED OUR GOAL IS TO BE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE REACH THAT. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING. 48 AND HALF MINUTES, WE WERE THE BEST DAM POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE WORLD. REX THANK YOU FOR THAT COMPELLING TESTIMONY AND YOU ARE RIGHT, FOR A HALF AND IT'S, YOU ARE THE BEST PLEASED PART IN THE WORLD. BUT THE PLAN WAS NOT REVEALED FOR DAYS. PETER KING ASKED WHY HIS DAY WAS PUT IN JEOPARDY BEING KEPT IN THE DARK. BUT OUR SYSTEM IS SO FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING ALL THE EVIDENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT I THINK THAT SINGULAR FOCUS MUST BE TEMPERED WITH THE OVERALL SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE COMMUNITY. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE WAS CRITICAL OF WHAT HE CALLED MISSED RED FLAGS CONCERNING THE RADICALIZATION OF TAMERLAN TSARNAEV. HE WAS KILLED IN THE STANDOFF IN